Apparatus and method for generating electricity

ABSTRACT

A turbine driven high frequency generator located in a chamber at the bottom of a deep hole in the earth or on the ocean floor thereby providing a natural head with respect to the turbine that is great enough to drive the generator which has a generating capacity sufficient to vaporize a substantial part of the water supplied to furnaces from the turbine. The steam produced in the furnaces is piped upward to a condenser, located at or near the surface, in which it is condensed into potable water and the water supplied to the turbine passes through the condenser to be preheated before dropping through said head to the turbine.

United States Patent 11 1 Merrill I 1 APPARATUS AND METHOD FORGENERATING ELECTRICITY [76] Inventor: 'Goige'li; Merrill, 266 Spos itoCin,

3 San Jose, Calif. 95136 [22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1971 211 App]. No.:124,002

[ 1 Jan.8,1974

3,470,943 10/1969 V1111 Husen 203/100 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Science &Mechanics, October 1951, pg. 95 8t 96 Primary Examiner-Wilbur L.Bascomb, Jr. Attorney-Allen & Chromy [57] ABSTRACT A turbine driven highfrequency generator located in a chamber at the bottom of a deep hole inthe earth or on the ocean floor thereby providing a natural head withrespect to the turbine that is great enough to drive the generator whichhas a generating capacity sufficient to vaporize asubstantial part ofthe water supplied to furnaces from the turbine. The steam produced inthe furnaces is piped upward to a condenser, located at or near thesurface, in which it is condensed into potable water and the watersupplied to the turbine passes through the condenser to be preheatedbefore dropping through said head to the turbine.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJAH 8 1874 SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR.GEORGE E. MERRlLL BY 7 n "H ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAH 8 I874 sum NF 2ENVENTOR. GEORGE E. MERRILL ATTORNEYS APPARATUS AND METHOD FORGENERATING ELECTRICITY DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a method and apparatus for generating electricity anddistilling ocean or brackish water.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which is locatedat the bottom of a deep hole in the earth or on the ocean floor, forheating water by utilizing electrical energy generated by said waterfalling a predetermined distance to said apparatus in said hole, thesteam produced from said water being piped to the surface and condensedinto potable water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a turbine driven highfrequency generator supplying power to a furnace for heating waterhaving a high salt content, such as, ocean water, said turbine,generator and furnace being positioned at the bottom of a long verticalpipe or casing which is provided with a channel for feeding the oceanwater to said turbine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a turbine drivenhigh frequency generator feeding furnaces with high frequencyalternating current, said furnaces receiving ocean water or brackishwater used to drive said turbine, said water having a natural head withrespect to said turbine that is great enough to drive said generator thenormal generating capacity of which is sufficient to vaporizesubstantially all of the water supplied said furnaces from said turbine.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled inthe art to which it relates from the following specification,claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view partially broken away showing anembodiment of this invention located in a deep well provided in theearth in close proximity to a supply of ocean or brackish water;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one of the furnace tubes connected to theturbine of this apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one of the tubes of the steamsuperheatingfurnace provided to this apparatus; and

tially broken away showing an embodiment of this apparatus positioned ina long pipe or chamber that is adapted to be erected in the ocean.

Referring to the drawing in detail, reference numeral designates asubstantially circular wall structure which may be of metal, plastic orthe like, impervious to water and which is either a casing lining a holeformed in the ground 11 as shown in FIG. 1, or it may be a casinglowered into a water body such as the ocean shown in FIG. 4. In eitherinstance-this casing is several hundred feet long. The wall structure 10shown in FIG. 1 forms a lining for a hole excavated in the ground 11under relatively shallow water near the ocean shore and it is surroundedby the wall 12 which is also impervious to water and which is providedwith a hole 13 to which the water inlet pipe l4is connected. The pipe 14is provided with a gate valve l5 so that the flow of water through thehole 13 to the pipe may be con- FIG. 4 is a vertical view partially insection and parpressure of the 500 foot water head. Water turbine 16 isfixedly attached to the shaft of the high frequency generator oralternator 17 which may be of the Alexanderson type capable ofgenerating electric current having a frequency on the order of 10,000 to30,000 Hertz. Thus, both the turbine 16 and generator 17 are ofconventional construction except that the turbine is made of stainlesssteel to resist corrosion by ocean water and salts carried by the water.The turbine and generator are supported by the structural members 18attached to the wall 10 by welding or the like.

Several ceramic pipes 19 are connected to the hous ing of the turbine 16to conduct the water which drives the turbine out of the housing thereofand these ceramic pipes are provided with high frequency coils 20 ofstainless steel wire. These coils are wound either on the exteriors ofthe pipes 19 or they may be embedded in the ceramic of the pipes andthey are connected by the conductors 21 to the output of the generator17. Tubular members 22 of stainless steel are positioned inside of theceramic pipes 19 and these tubular members are spaced from the innerwalls of the pipes in which they are positioned so that water can flowboth on the inside and outside of these tubular members.

The stainless steel tubular members 22 are heated by the high frequencycurrent supplied to the coils 20. The high frequency current flowing inthe coils 20 sets up magnetic fields in the pipes 19 which induceelectromotive forces into the tubular members 22 and the high frequencycurrent circulating in these tubular members cause heating thereof.Thus, the water leaving the turbine 16 through pipes 19 is heated in thecoil sections of these pipes which are surrounded by the coils 20. Thewater passing'through the pipes 19 is thus brought up toboiling'temperature Some of the water is vaporized and some of it leavesthe open ends of these pipes as a concentrated brine solution whichflows into the inclined vat 23 in which the salts carried thereby areconcentrated.

The concentrated salt solution flows toward the sump 24 which opens intothe larger sump 25 and this concentrated solution is pumped out of thesump 25 through pipe 38 which is connected to pump 39. The water vaporrises into the coil housing 26 which is provided with an array ofceramic tubes 27, each of which is surrounded by a high frequency'coil28. Thetubes 27 are also of ceramic and the coils 28 are of stainlesssteel wire. The coil housing 26 is also supported by the structuralmembers 18 and the ceramic pipes 27 are sup ported in this housing 26 bythe baffle member 29. Each of the pipes 27 is provided with a pluralityof stainless steel rods 30 which are supported therein as shown in H0.3. These rods are spaced apart so that water'may flow therebetween.

The coils 28 are also connected in parallel and these coils areenergized by high frequency current produced by the generator 17 towhich these coils are connected by conductors 31. When the coils 28 areenergized by high frequency electric currents the rods 30 in the pipes27 are brought to a high temperature and the water vapor through thesepipes is heated sufficiently to produce steam. The steam flows upwardthrough the hood 32 and pipe 33. The hood 32 is attached to the top ofthe chamber 26 and the pipe 33 is attached to the top of the hood.Suitable insulation may be provided to the outside of the hood 32 andpipe 33 to prevent loss of heat so that the steam which may besuperheated will not lose too much of its energy in passing upwardthrough this pipe to the outside of the casing as shown in FIG. 4, whereit is condensed into potable water while preheating water entering thefeed pipe. The flow of the steam through the pipe 33 may be acceleratedby providing a blower 34 which is driven by the motor 35 as shown inFIG. I.

This apparatus may also be provided with an auxiliary furnace 36 whichis positioned in the pipe 37 and which is adapted to receive some of thewater vapor from the chamber 23 to produce superheated steam. The highfrequency winding of the furnace 36 is similar to that of the furnacelocated in the chamber 26 and is connected by the conductors 31 to agenerator of high frequency current. The high frequency currentgenerator 40 may be of conventional construction and is driven by anelectric motor which is supplied over the line 42.

The concentrated salt solution flows down the inclined floor of thechamber 23 to the sump 24 which has an open bottom through which it isconnected to the larger sump 25. The concentrated salt solution ispumped out of the sump 25 through the pipe 38 by the pump 39 which isdriven by the electric motor 39a. Several pumps such as pump 39 are usedto pump the concentrated salt solution to the surface through the pipe38a so that the various chemicals in the concentrated solution may berecovered and utilized.

In FIG. 4 there is shown an embodiment of this invention that is adaptedto be positioned in ocean water having a depth of over 500 feet. Thisembodiment of this invention is provided with a reinforced pipe 43 whichhas a double wall thickness and the spacing between the walls isprovided with suitable bracing members attached thereto. While the pipe43 is shown as made of continuous inner and outer members, these membersmay be fabricated from sheets of stainless steel or other corrosionresisting metal riveted or otherwise joined together to form the innerand outer pipe members.

The bottom part of the pipe is enlarged to provide space for the highfrequency generator 45 the rotor of which is attached to the shaft 47that is driven by the turbine 46. The generator 45 and turbine 46 are ofconventional construction as previously described in the description ofthe generator 17 and turbine 16 shown in FIG. I, and these units aresupported by the members 45a and 46a, respectively. Ocean water is fedto the turbine 46 through the pipe 48, the lower part thereof beingdivided into the two branches 48a which are connected to the housing ofthe turbine 46. Ocean water is fed into the upper part of the pipe 48through the tubes 49 of the condenser 50. For this purpose the left handpart of the condenser 50 is provided with a cavity 51 which is connectedto the pipe 48 and the left hand ends of the tubes 49 open into thiscavity. The right hand portion of the condenser 50 is provided with acavity 52 and the right hand ends ofthe tubes 49 open into this cavity.Ocean water is supplied into cavity 52 through the pipe 53 and a gatevalve 54 is positioned in this pipe so that the pipe may be eitheropened or closed to control the flow of ocean water as desired. Theupper part of the pipe 43 is provided with a cap 55 for-closing the pipeand this cap may extend above the surface of the ocean to supportsuitable warning or signaling devices (not shown) so that ocean goingvessels do not collide with the structure.

The bottom of the turbine housing is provided with a plurality ofexhaust pipes 56 which are similar to the pipes 19 shown in FIG. 1 andwhich are provided with coils similar to the coils 20 shown in FIG. 1that are connected to the generator 4550 that high frequency current issupplied to these coils. The circuit arrangement of this portion of theinvention shown in FIG. 4 is the same as that shown in FIG. 1 and anauxiliary supply of high frequency current is also provided so that thestainless steel tubes or other metallic members inside of the pipes 56may be heated by the auxiliary source of high frequency when theapparatus is first placed into operation. The auxiliary generator of thehigh frequency may be positioned in the upper structure 55 and thisauxiliary high frequency generator may be driven by a suitable motor orengine such as an internal combustion engine.

After the members inside of the pipes 56 are brought up to the desiredhigh temperature the gate valve 54 is opened so that ocean water flowsthrough pipe 53 and condensor 50 into the vertical pipe 48 and throughthe branches 48a to the turbine 46. The turbine 46 then drives thegenerator 45 and the generator is then connected to the coils on pipes56 after the auxiliary high frequency generator is disconnectedtherefrom. Some of the water passing through the pipes 56 is vaporizedand separated from the salts occurring in the ocean water. Theconcentrated salt solution goes to the pool 57 in the bottom of thestructure and is pumped out through the pipe 58 by the pump 59 whichlifts the brine into pipe 60. Additional pumps (not shown) may beprovided in the pipe 60 at spaced positions to facilitate lifting thebrine to the surface.

The water vapor coming out of the pipes 56 is admitted into a chamber 61which is similar to the chamber 26 as shown in FIG. 1 and this chamberis also provided with high frequency coils which heat members supportedtherein. The water vapor entering chamber 61 is heated to superheatedsteam and passes upward through the pipe 64 into the cavity 65 of'thecondenser 50. Cavity 65 is provided with a sump 66 in which thecondensed potable water is collected and from which it is pumped throughthe pipe 67 that leads to a suitable reservoir (not shown). The pipe 64may be provided with a suitable motor driven pumpsuch as the pump 34shown in FIG. 1 to move the superheated steam out of the chamber 61.

Suitable elevators such as are used inmine shafts may be provided tothis apparatus to lower service personnel and equipment into the lowerpart of this apparatus and suitable doors or removable panels may beprovided in the walls of the generator, turbine and furnace compartmentsfor access thereto-This structure is conventional and is not shown inthe drawing.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of the invention, itwill be understood that the invention is capable of variation andmodification from the form shown so that the scope thereof should belimited only by the proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for generating electricity and distilling ocean orbrackish water, the combination of a casing, a vertical channel memberpositioned in said casing, said casing and said channel member havinglengths substantially over five hundred feet with means feeding saidocean or brackish water into the upper end of said vertical channelmember, a turbine having a housing connected to the lower end of saidvertical channel member, a generator generating high frequency electriccurrent, means coupling said generator to said turbine, high frequencyfurnace means comprising a plurality of ceramic pipes having the inletsthereof connected to said turbine housing, said furnace means havingelectrically conductive windings embedded in said ceramic pipes, meansconnecting said windings to i said generator, said furnace means havingmetal elements in said ceramic pipes that are heated by high frequencycurrents induced therein by the high frequency currents flowing in saidwindings, said metal elements being bathed in the water exhausted fromsaid turbine so that said water is heated and partially vaporized, saidcasing having means supporting said turbine, said generator and saidfurnace means, said casing having a sump at the bottom thereof receivingthe unvaporized water and salts dissolved therein from said furnacemeans, said furnace means having means heating the vaporized componentof said water to superheated steam, said water feeding means including asteam condenser, means feeding said superheated steam to said condensedin "source to said furnace means to heat said furnace means to apredetermined temperature and means connecting said furnace means tosaid generator after said furnace means is heated to said predeterminedtemperature.

3. In apparatus for generating electricity and distilling ocean orbrackish water, the combination as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized in that said furnace means comprises heating meansreceiving water directly from said turbine for vaporizing part of thewater received thereby and allowing the concentrated salt solution toflow to said sump, and means drawing said vaporized componentof saidwater through said furnace means for heating said component to saidsuperheated steam.

1. In apparatus for generating electricity and distilling ocean orbrackish water, the combination of a casing, a vertical channel memberpositioned in said casing, said casing and said channel member havinglengths substantially over five hundred feet with means feeding saidocean or brackish water into the upper end of said vertical channelmember, a turbine having a housing connected to the lower end of saidvertical channel member, a generator generating high frequency electriccurrent, means coupling said generator to said turbine, high frequencyfurnace means comprising a plurality of ceramic pipes having the inletsthereof connected to said turbine housing, said furnace means havingelectrically conductive windings embedded in said ceramic pipes, meansconnecting said windings to said generator, said furnace means havingmetal elements in said ceramic pipes that are heated by high frequencycurrents induced therein by the high frequency currents flowing in saidwindings, said metal elements being bathed in the water exhausted fromsaid turbine so that said water is heated and partially vaporized, saidcasing having means supporting said turbine, said generator and saidfurnace means, said casing having a sump at the bottom thereof receivingthe unvaporized water and salts dissolved therein from said fUrnacemeans, said furnace means having means heating the vaporized componentof said water to superheated steam, said water feeding means including asteam condenser, means feeding said superheated steam to said condenserand means storing the water condensed in said condenser.
 2. In apparatusfor generating electricity and distilling ocean or brackish water, thecombination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliarysource of current supply, means connecting said auxiliary source to saidfurnace means to heat said furnace means to a predetermined temperatureand means connecting said furnace means to said generator after saidfurnace means is heated to said predetermined temperature.
 3. Inapparatus for generating electricity and distilling ocean or brackishwater, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized inthat said furnace means comprises heating means receiving water directlyfrom said turbine for vaporizing part of the water received thereby andallowing the concentrated salt solution to flow to said sump, and meansdrawing said vaporized component of said water through said furnacemeans for heating said component to said superheated steam.